https://charlestonmag.com/features/big_hair_big_vision_dave_brisacher_reinvents_the_navy_yard_s_building_64_as_a_cutting_edge

Lives: James Island
Age: 41
Family: Wife, Hayley (who he met while working at Jack’s Cosmic Dogs), and sons, Irie, age 16, and Zion, age 10
Education: Full Sail University
Dream event lineup: The Roots, Snoop Dogg, The Marley Brothers, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé, Method Man, Redman, Chali 2na, Mix Master Mike, and The Dubplates

Before he began growing his floor-length locs, David Brisacher, known as “Big Hair Dave,” got his start playing reggae as a Wando High School student, “performing at bars before I was allowed to drink there,” he laughs. Eager to learn more about music production, Brisacher attended Full Sail University in Florida, working gigs for celebrities, world leaders, and Fortune 500 companies. In 2004, back in Charleston, he started his entertainment and event company, Big Hair Productions, coinciding with the debut of The Dubplates, an instrumental reggae band that gained popularity for its Billboard-topping album, 2017’s Box Full of Steel.

Last fall, Big Hair Productions moved into a 38,000-square-foot former storehouse-turned-arts-and-events venue in Navy Yard Charleston. Since its debut, Building 64 has hosted the return of Kulture Klash, Pickers Hullabaloo, and the Charleston Food Truck Festival. Here, Brisacher shares his vision for the space.

CM: What inspired you to balance performing with music production?
DB: I’ve been really blessed to interconnect the two. Having my own production company was crucial for coming up with crazy show ideas and making them real and has afforded me an amazingly cool life.

CM: What led you to the space at the Navy Yard?
DB: I wasn’t actively looking for a giant warehouse, but when I found Building 64 I thought, “This is the spot.” It’s such a big historic building that hasn’t had anything done to it, so there was a lot of infrastructural upgrading needed to transform it into a state-of-the-art event venue. It’s exciting to see the way North Charleston is growing, from a desolate naval base to a thriving community hub filled with artists, entrepreneurs, and families.

CM: What would you like to see in the future at Building 64?
DB: Having an indoor space that can fit more than 5,000 people is kind of unheard of, and our production setup is next level, with the goal of getting bigger and better. We’re excited to be a premier after-party destination for experiences such as High Water, as well. I also love being able to find a fundraising component, whether that’s the Ronald McDonald House or Surfers Healing. Creating an amazing concert or party is one thing, but having a lasting impact afterward is the best kind of win. Whether it’s an art show, concert, or electronic dance party, we’re set up and ready to go.